I bought a limited edition Paddington print for £30, signed by author Michael Bond – is it worth £1,000? DAN HATFIELD answers

During a recent search of charity shops in an affluent area of ​​London not far from Paddington, I spotted a rather lovely print entitled ‘Out for the Day’.

My daughter is obsessed with Paddington – especially the books, the recent cartoon series and films.

I went to take a look and decided it was in good condition. On closer inspection, it is signed by the author himself, Michael Bond.

Needless to say, at £29.99 I thought it was worth a gamble as I knew my daughter would love it whether it’s worth a small fortune or not.

The back of the frame states that it is one of 495 prints by Peggy Fortnum (the original illustrator) and is stamped by the Arts Trade Guild.

That got me excited and I found a similar one online from a few years ago, priced at £600, which says it sold – and another on a US website for $800.

I think it could be worth closer to £1,000 now, especially as Paddington is all the rage. Am I right? Lewis, via email.

Dan Hatfield, our local valuation expert, answers: The new one Paddington in Peru The film has clearly tickled the nostalgic nerve in all of you, as my inbox is bursting with questions about Paddington collectibles.

It is what makes this column a joy for me, exploring modern treasures, among the antiques of my daily working life.

Last week I appraised a 50 year old Paddington cuddly toy. I received a print this week and it is certainly attractive.

It really captures the essence of Paddington and I can feel our friend from Peru coming to life in it.

And that’s no surprise, because it was drawn by Peggy Fortnum, the first person to draw Paddington and went on to illustrate all the novels Michael Bond had written.

This is one of three prints made with a limited edition of 495 each. They were produced in 1997 and sold in the very posh department store Selfridges.

These pieces bear the stamp of the Fine Arts Trade Guild, an organization founded in 1847 to ensure strict standards are adhered to when it comes to printing.

With this stamp we can prove that the print was produced with high standards and high quality materials.

I’m intrigued that Bond signed the print, as it’s extremely rare to find his signature on anything other than his books.

It made it difficult to sift through the Rolodex of awards I stored in my head – it required some old-fashioned detective work.

In the picture: The print is number 489 of 495, signed by Michael Bond and bearing an official stamp of the Fine Arts Trade Guild

I know you mention that you’ve seen a few previous sales where the price for these prints is estimated at £600.

I have done some further searching but cannot confirm the date of these sales and there is no clarity whatsoever that the £600 they were advertised for is even the price they secured.

However, the websites where you discovered these offers are known in the industry for doubling, tripling or even quadrupling the realistic price you should expect to pay.

These websites unfortunately have quite extravagant operators who seem to please a small number when setting the price.

It’s also worth noting that Bond passed away in 2017, so any sales around this time would have been inflated due to his death.

I should also point out that this is a print and while it is a limited edition, it is not an original.

I like that the author’s name is on it, but for £500 you could recently have bought an original watercolor of Paddington, drawn by Fortnum himself.

Right now you can even buy Paddington books signed by Bond for just £20.

While researching these prints to determine a realistic price for you, I found evidence that all three of these prints had sold on eBay in 2015 for £295.

That said, prices will have increased since then due to inflation, the death of the author, and the aforementioned sale did not include frames.

Then we must consider other events over the years that will have increased the value of Paddington. He’s had tea with Her Majesty and his third film has just premiered – if anything he’s more popular than ever before.

All in all, it is a difficult value to appreciate. I would happily agree with your £1,000 valuation, but my research and instincts tell me that nostalgia may have impressed you with such an optimistic price.

Unfortunately, the £600 you saw on that book sales site a few years ago is probably a bit too high too.

Ultimately, I believe a realistic price for this piece is between £200 and £300.

Additional information: The back of the print reveals more of the story about the print

Please remember that while I believe this appraisal is a true reflection of the market value and quality of the print, there is always the potential for the right collector to obtain much more for it.

Let’s also remind ourselves that you only paid £30 for the print, so if you secure the top end of my valuation you can expect a tenfold return on your money, which will buy you plenty of marmalade.

One more question remains: can I have the name and address of the charity shop in question?

Send in your modern treasures

Dan Hatfield: Our columnist is ready to appreciate your modern treasure

Dan Hatfield is This Morning’s money-making expert and local pawnbroker. He is an international specialist in antiques, jewelry, diamonds and collectibles.

Dan’s first non-fiction book, Money Maker: Unlock Your Money Making Potential (£16.99, published by Hodder Catalyst) is available now.

This Modern Treasures of Money column stands behind your items and collections for appraisals.

Please send as much information as possible, including photos, to: editor@thisismoney.co.uk with the subject line: Modern treasures

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Dan will do his best to respond to your message in his biweekly column, but he will not be able to reply to everyone or correspond with readers privately.

Nothing in his answers constitutes regulated financial advice. Published questions are sometimes edited for brevity or other reasons.

As with anything, if you’re looking to sell items and collections, it’s wise to get a second and third opinion – and not just rely on Dan’s suggestions.